The Troutbeck Testimony

A huge funeral for Windermere's popular resident, Barbara Dodge, is taking place, and florist Persimmon 'Simmy' Brown and her new assistant, Bonnie Lawson, are busy compiling wreaths in preparation. There's word of a series of sinister dognappings occurring in nearby Troutbeck, and whilst taking a walk up Wansfell Pike, Simmy and her father, Russell, stumble on a dog strangled to death - it's not long before Simmy reluctantly finds herself caught up in a murder investigation.

The Ambleside Alibi

After an eventful year, Persimmon "Simmy" Brown is adjusting to life in Windermere, running her florist shop and trying to put her tragic past behind her. But just when Simmy thinks her life is quietly coming together, it begins to unravel at the seams. With the delivery of a bouquet of flowers to an elderly lady - complete with mysterious message attached - old secrets come creeping into the light. When another old woman is found murdered in her own home, Simmy is drawn into the centre of a murder investigation.

The Windermere Witness

Following a personal tragedy, florist Persimmon "Simmy" Brown has moved to the Lake District to be nearer her parents. But her peace is shattered when, at a wedding, the bride's brother is found brutally murdered. As the florist of the wedding and one of the last people to talk to Mark Baxter alive, Simmy gradually becomes involved with the relatives. When events take another sinister turn, Simmy finds herself at the heart of a murder investigation.

The Coniston Case

With Valentine's Day fast approaching, Persimmon "Simmy" Brown's flower shop near Lake Windermere receives a string of anonymous delivery orders. But each one causes their recipient great distress, and Simmy suspects that the messages they contain mask a sinister intent. Then one of the recipients disappears.... As if that isn't enough, Simmy's friend Kathy turns up, on the trail of her wayward daughter Joanna, who has grown unhealthily close to her university tutor.

Murder for Christmas

A classic mystery for the festive season: mulled wine, mince pies...and murder. Mordecai Tremaine, former tobacconist and perennial lover of romance novels, has been invited to spend Christmas in the sleepy village of Sherbroome, at the country retreat of one Benedict Grame. Arriving on Christmas Eve, he finds that the revelries are in full flow - but so, too, are tensions amongst the assortment of guests.

Mrs Pargeter's Principle

For Mrs Pargeter, it is a matter of principle that she should complete any of her late husband's unfinished business. Amongst his many bequests, perhaps the most valuable is his little black book, in which he listed all the people who ever worked for him, with details of their particular skill sets. This means that whenever Mrs P has a crime to solve, she can readily contact someone with the relevant expertise.

Murder Has a Motive

Amateur sleuth Mordecai Tremaine is back in another classic mystery from the author of Murder for Christmas. When Mordecai Tremaine emerges from the train station, murder is the last thing on his mind. But then again, he has never been able to resist anything in the nature of a mystery - and a mystery is precisely what awaits him in the village of Dalmering.

The Last Detective

A woman's naked body is found floating in the weeds of a lake near Bath by an elderly woman walking her Siamese cats. No one comes forward to identify her, and no murder weapon is found, but sleuthing is Superintendent Peter Diamond's speciality. A genuine gumshoe, practising door stopping and deduction: he is the last detective. Struggling with office politics and a bizarre cast of suspects, Diamond strikes out on his own, even when Forensics think they have the culprit.

Murder of a Lady

Duchlan Castle is a gloomy place in the Scottish Highlands. Late one night the body of Mary Gregor, sister of the laird, is found in the castle. She has been stabbed to death in her locked bedroom. The only tiny clue to the culprit is a silver fish's scale, left on the floor next to Mary's body. Inspector Dundas is dispatched to investigate. The Gregor family and their servants are quick to explain that Mary was a kind and charitable woman, but Dundas uncovers a more complex truth.

The Stepmother

The perfect wife. A fairytale family. Don't believe your eyes. Jeanie and Matthew are a happily married couple who both have teenage children from previous relationships. No one said it would be easy to raise a blended family under one roof but Jeanie and Matthew are strong. They will make it work. But Jeanie has a past. A terrible secret she thought she'd buried a long time ago. And now, it's coming to the surface, threatening to destroy her new marriage. Someone is playing a terrifying game on Jeanie.

Silent Scream: Detective Kim Stone Crime Thriller, Book 1

Five figures gather 'round a shallow grave. They had all taken turns to dig. An adult-sized hole would have taken longer. An innocent life had been taken, but the pact had been made. Their secrets would be buried, bound in blood. Years later a headmistress is found brutally strangled, the first in a spate of gruesome murders that shock the Black Country.

Murder in a Different Place: Libby Sarjeant Mystery

The 13th book in Lesley Cookman's best-selling Libby Sarjeant murder mystery series follows Libby and the gang as they visit the Isle of Wight for the funeral of an old friend. For once there is nothing suspicious about the death, but their invitation to the funeral comes from elderly cousins who do have an unexplained death in the family. As her best friend, Harry, seems to be involved somehow, Libby is determined to ignore the growing reluctance of the cousins to help as she investigates.

The Santa Klaus Murder

Aunt Mildred declared that no good could come of the Melbury family Christmas gatherings. So when Sir Osmond Melbury, the family patriarch, is discovered - by a guest dressed as Santa Klaus - with a bullet in his head on Christmas Day, the festivities are plunged into chaos. Nearly everybody stands to reap some sort of benefit from his death excepting Santa Klaus, the one person who seems to have had every opportunity to fire the shot.

Wicked Autumn: A Max Tudor Novel

Max Tudor has adapted well to his post as vicar of St. Edwold's in the idyllic village of Nether Monkslip. The quiet village seems the perfect home for Max, who has fled a harrowing past as an MI5 agent. But this new-found serenity is quickly shattered when the highly vocal and unpopular president of the Women's Institute turns up dead at the Harvest Fayre. The death looks like an accident, but Max's training as a former agent kicks in, and before long he suspects foul play.

Murder in the Dark: Libby Sarjeant Mystery

An unidentified woman's body is found in a remote garden in Kent. With the owners not in residence, the only people with legitimate access are the caretaker, Johnny, and landscape gardeners Adam Sarjeant and his employer, Mog. Afraid of her son falling under suspicion, Libby Sarjeant, with her friend Fran, are determined to find the murderer, with or without the assistance of the police in the person of Chief Detective Inspector Ian Connell.

Holy Island: The DCI Ryan Mysteries, Book 1

Detective Chief Inspector Ryan retreats to Holy Island seeking sanctuary when he is forced to take sabbatical leave from his duties as a homicide detective. A few days before Christmas, his peace is shattered, and he is thrust back into the murky world of murder when a young woman is found dead amongst the ancient ruins of the nearby priory. When former local girl Dr. Anna Taylor arrives back on the island as a police consultant, old memories swim to the surface, making her confront her difficult past.

Whisky from Small Glasses: A D.C.I. Daley Thriller, Book 1

DCI Jim Daley is sent from the city to investigate a murder after the body of a woman is washed up on an idyllic beach on the West Coast of Scotland. Far away from urban resources, he finds himself a stranger in a close-knit community. Love, betrayal, fear and death stalk the small town, as Daley investigates a case that becomes more deadly than he could possibly imagine, in this compelling Scottish crime novel infused with intrigue and dark humour.

Murder in Steeple Martin

Ex-actress Libby Sarjeant is producing and directing a play in her home village of Steeple Martin. She never expected her exciting new venture to lead to romance: and she certainly didn't expect mystery, intrigue, and murder. When a series of accidents culminates in murder being committed, Libby is compelled to find out if its roots are in the past or the more sordid present. A cast of local characters alternately helps and hinders her, including Fran the sceptical psychic and Sidney the guard cat.

Publisher's Summary

Nestled in the hills of the Cotswolds, the village of Duntisbourne Abbots is a well-kept secret. When Joel Jennison is found slaughtered in the same field where his brother's corpse had lain ten weeks previously, a whole community falls under suspicion. Was it a family feud? An act of revenge? As a forty-something woman with no previous experience of detective work, Thea Osborne knows she shouldn't be getting involved but as she calls on her neighbours to get some answers, she uncovers more tragedy and intrigue that she thought possible behind the chocolate-box façade of a peaceful Gloucestershire village.

Firstly the narration was good but beyond that it didn't improve. I think this is a badly constructed crime story with no substance. There was hardly any plot and no detection. A very irritating and unlikable main character if ever there was one. Self centred, full of her own self importance, under the impression that ever male must want to get to know her better. I'm not suggesting main characters should always be likeable but with this particular series you would expect her to have some good points, approachability, friendliness, someone who draws confidences and if the plots for the stories surround her job of house sitting and solving crimes at various locations around the county she will need to warm herself to those she needs to get close to. Without 'spoiling' it for the reader her other 'issue' doesn't ring true, it appears to be have been added for effect. I found this book irritating. It won't take a detective to work out I won't be reading any further books in this series.

First, I liked the book-- it had the English police detectives, pretty country village with its secrets and twists and turns required for a mystery. It kept me engaged and in the last few hours took on an almost creepy atmosphere. The author explores pain--all types--in what is essentially a running monologue. It can be a little saddening with all the discussion of loss, coping or coping in unusual ways in many cases,

The narration was a slight disappointment as the reader had a clipped style and just read the book with almost no attempt to alter voices with each character. I have gotten to expect the acting out of the book many narrators do so beautifully on audible. It is very entertaining to have the characters have their own voices. There were only two or three characters that I remotely cared about in the story and I wonder if the reading in voices would have changed that. It was all about the main character and everything in the storyline revolved around her--what she thought and did. Not a bad thing just limited to one person's point of view--first person narrative--not a multi character exploration. I guess that is where the mystery comes in as the story unfolds based on what one person perceives, ponders, and then in the end solves.

Given the chance I would listen again and I didn't feel that I had wasted a credit. If you like British crime/mystery stories and don't mind the lack of varied voices it's worth a try.

32 of 34 people found this review helpful

Malena

United States

05/11/12

Overall

Performance

Story

"Pleasant Cozy"

If you like hard-boiled, gritty, fast-paced, violent thrillers, DO NOT buy this book. It is a traditional English cozy set in the Cotswolds and full of both typical and quirky English characters. Just the sort of book I love to read or listen to.I liked the main character and amateur sleuth, Thea Osbourne, right from the start. Her adventure begins when she takes on a house-sitting job complete with dogs and sheep to look after. Following an unexpected scream in the night, an even more unexpected body turns up in the little pond on the property.There were several scenes that were laugh out loud funny for me, including all the rules the owner writes down for poor Thea to follow.The reading was well done.I recommend this book and this reading to anyone who loves a more laid-back and less in your face mystery.

6 of 6 people found this review helpful

debbie templeton

02/06/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Disappointed"

Kept waiting for something really mysterious happen just around the bend... never came to pass.

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

Robert

22/08/16

Overall

Performance

Story

"Disappointed X"

I just love my audible books but this was just not enjoyable. I had to stop reading after a few chapters. The main character is dull and boring. She is perusing a murder case and seems to have no clue how to do this. The plot was weak and rambling . I just gave in the end.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Linda

Eden Prairie, MN, United States

31/05/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Rambled"

The thoughts and actions of the main character in this book seemed disorganized and indecisive to me. She has been recently widowed at a relatively young age. She is embarking on a new experience - house sitting.

I can understand she might dither a little given her situation. I listened to the entire book thinking at some point her thoughts and actions might become a little more purposeful. They never did. I never empathized with her, I just became annoyed.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Sarah

BOERNE, TX, United States

04/04/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"A very engaging murder mystery"

Where does A Cotswold Killing rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

About the middle - I enjoyed it wile I listened but it wasn't really memorable.

What other book might you compare A Cotswold Killing to and why?

This reads a little like Charles Todd mysteries - lots of local color. I didn't find the characters as interesting, however.

What does Caroline Lennon bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

She does a good job of bringing the characters to life.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Not really. I was caught up in the mystery but didn't find it as consuming as some books. Maybe I'm getting jaded on British village mysteries.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Doug Wilkie

26/10/14

Overall

Performance

Story

"good start to what I hope is a good series"

What made the experience of listening to A Cotswold Killing the most enjoyable?

Mystery told from another point of view, from the view point of a house sitter, although how many times can a house sitter go to different homes and not be the prime suspect in the matter at hand.

Did the plot keep you on the edge of your seat? How?

not really, just well paced.

What about Caroline Lennon’s performance did you like?

well read.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

Report Inappropriate Content

If you find this review inappropriate and think it should be removed from our site, let us know. This report will be reviewed by Audible and we will take appropriate action.